Car-body construction



y w. D. THOMPSON CAB BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed June 11, 1920 2 SheeLs-Sheet 1 lvwcmtoz mum mi 7l mmpson (1 twang a May 31,1927.

w. D. THOMPSON cm BODY CONSTRUCTION F 'il ed June 11, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 u v 1 l l l ll IL||| Ill] III/ Elwueutoz 7 222 a'amfl 77! ampson Patented May 31, 1927.

UNITEDSTATE PATEi-N'l QFFICE'.

WILLIAM D, THOMPSON, OF DETROIT, MIGF'IIGA'N, ASSIGNOR, BY IMESNE ASSIGN MEETS, TO HU'I'CHINS ROOFING CGMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A COR- roiaarion or E ARE.

GAR-BODY COHSTBUCTION.

Application filed June 11, 1921;. Serial no. 388,208.

The invention relates to car body constructions of that type employing metal plates, and consists in the novel construction of a trussed plate which can be developed,

from a sheet metal blank without material drawing or flowing of the metal.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plane sheet;

Figure 2 is a similar view of the sheet bent to place successive portions thereof in parallel spaced planes;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a blank from which a fashioned plate may be developed;

Figure st is a perspective view of the de veloped plate;

Figures 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 3 and l, showing a modified construction; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 of still another modification.

Heretofore metallic plates as used in car body constructions have been stiffened and strengthened by pressing or otherwise fashioning the same so as to form ribs or reinforcements. It is, however, desirable that the margins of the plates should be in a common plane so as to permit of attachment to each other and to the car frame and this generally results in a form which cannot be developed from a flat sheet of metal without drawing or stretching of portions thereof. Inasmuch as any material drawing of the metal requires heat treatment and powerful presses, there is an advantage in dispensing with the same. I have therefore devised a construction in which the body of a plate has portions thereof arranged in two planes with the marginal portions in a single plane, said plate developed from a flat sheet without drawing of the metal.

The principle underlying my invention is shown diagramn'iatically in Figures 1 to 4, in which A is a rectangular sheet metal blank having all portions thereof in a co1nmon plane. B in Figure 2 is the same sheet which has been bent to form a series of successive portions G, C, etc, which are alternately in different planes spaced from each other and which are connected by transversely extending portions I). Such a form can be readily developed from the blank A by a simple bending operation and without any drawing or stretching of the metal, but

it will be noted that the margins on two sides of the blank instead of being in a common plane, Vig-Zag between the twoplanes. By applyii pressure the margins might be flattened down, but this would result in a distortion unless sutlicient pressure is applied to upset or flow the metal into the common plane. If, on the other hand, sufficient metal is removed from the margin to correspond to the difference in length beand the contour of the remaining portions being such that their edges will come together when the blank is bent. These adjoining edges may then be secured by soldering, brazing, welding, or other suitable means.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the marginal portion has a series of gores H cut therein, which, when the blank is fashioned about the lines I, J, K and L, will close in, forming a flange at right angles to the two planes and a tapering portion from the upper plane to the lower. The meeting edges are soldered, welded, or otherwise sev cured, as in the construction previously clescribed. In Figure 6 the gore is so ar ranged that the meeting edges will be central of the upper plane portion, while in the modification shown in Figure 7, these meeting edges are in the lower plane portion.

The constructions described can 'all be cheaply manufactured. due to the fact that the cost of press work is greatly reduced over constructions in which the metal must be drawn. The fact that a portion of the metal is removed from the border portion of the sheet does away with the necessity of upsetting or flowing the metal and this permits of performing the fashioning operation with relatively light presses. Also, the work may, if desired, be performed upon the cold metal, which would be practically impossible if there was any consid- 2. A fashioned metal plate developed from a plane sheet having alternate portions in the body thereof arranged in spaced parallel planes, a marginal portion in a common plane bent at an angle to oneof said spaced planes and connecting with the other of said spaced planes by an obliquely extending portion, the metal of the blank having agore therein the opposite edges ofwhich are brought together in the {ashioned blank and sealed.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa- 25 ture.

lVILLIAM D. THOMPSON. 

